Announcing the Lead and Ignite Classes of 2025

By Leadership Center of Arlington | July 2, 2024
Announcing the Lead and Ignite Classes of 2025

Arlington, VA – The Leadership Center of Arlington is pleased to announce the members of the Lead and Ignite Classes of 2025. The Lead program deepens connections with a diverse network of established leaders and inspires them to transform and support our community. The Ignite program allows leaders to hone skills and explore personal and professional leadership development as they create real impact with local nonprofits.

“Our Board and staff are excited to welcome the upcoming Lead and Ignite Classes of 2025,” shared Lisa Fikes, President and CEO of the Leadership Center of Arlington. “Whether connecting established leaders through our Lead program or developing emerging leaders through Ignite, we are confident that these two cohorts will bring their wisdom and passion to create positive change.” 

The Lead Class of 2025 includes 43 leaders from business, government, and nonprofit sectors and will begin on Thursday, September 19, 2024. At the end of the opening program day, a Homecoming event will allow the new Lead class members to meet Leadership Center of Arlington alumni. 

  • Melanie Anderson, Arlington Thrive 
  • Katharine Ange, Arlington Economic Development
  • Gaston Araoz, Dominion Energy
  • Mariana Balgurevich, Edu-Futuro
  • Gagan Bali, Accenture Federal Services
  • Mona Birchfield, CLA
  • Elizabeth Collins, Center for Naval Analyses, CNA
  • Lindsey Crawford, Troutman Pepper 
  • LeVar Crooms, United Bank
  • Lesley Daigle, Arlington Free Clinic
  • Jennifer Davies, Animal Welfare League of Arlington
  • Rev. DeLishia A. Davis, Calloway United Methodist Church
  • Sharifa Dickenson, The Association of American Medical Colleges
  • Kate Dykgraaf, Good Insight
  • Eric Ferguson, Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute (SEI)
  • Edward Hasecke, Lutheran College Washington Consortium
  • Alli Henry, Rosslyn Business Improvement District
  • Jason Jenkins, Arlington County Fire Department
  • Albert Kim, Arlington County Police Department
  • Steven Kleppin, Marine Corps
  • Rebecca Koons, Affordable Homes & Communities
  • Richard Krumenacker, VHC Health
  • Sarah Loden, Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington
  • Candice Lopez, Arlington County Government, Department of Human Services 
  • Aysha Malik, NRECA
  • Rathish Moorthy, NTT DATA
  • William Mulligan, Arlington Chamber of Commerce
  • Ryan Nash, APAH
  • Jennifer Odlum, Arlington Public Library
  • Devanshi Patel, Center for Youth and Family Advocacy 
  • Sangeetha Puligella, Arlington County Government, Department of Technology Services
  • Irina Razgonova, The Craddock Group
  • Olu Rhodes-Vivour, Ka2Lyst, LLC
  • Robert Sandoli, U.S. Dept of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
  • Ashley Smith, Arlington Land Use Group
  • Brian Stockton, Arlington Public Schools
  • Doug Taylor, Bean, Kinney & Korman, P.C.
  • Amy Thomas, Arlington Community Federal Credit Union
  • Jeff Warta, Capital One
  • Samara Weinstein, Northern Virginia Family Service
  • Kiely Wilkerson, Strategic Engineering Solutions
  • Alyssa Williamson, Arlington County Government, Department of Environmental Services
  • Joshua Witt, Accenture

The Ignite Class of 2025 is comprised of 32 leaders and will begin meeting in October 2024.

  • Kutoof Alwazir, Chain Bridge Bank
  • José Aramayo Pefaure, Arlington County Government, Department of Human Services
  • Jenna Berk, Avison Young
  • Lauren Breyer, Arlington County Government, Department of Environmental Services
  • Maggie Chao, Langston Boulevard Alliance
  • Kenny Darby, George Mason University
  • Angie De Groot, CNA
  • Chaimaa Fekkak, Accenture
  • Luke Fichter, National Landing Business Improvement District
  • Taylor Frech, Hilton
  • Esther Garcia, Affordable Homes & Communities
  • Benjamin Helm, The Craddock Group
  • Ryan Huaman, Ryan’s Learning Center
  • Claudia Irigoyen, City of Alexandria, Department of Community and Human Services
  • Ashley King, English Empowerment Center
  • Abigayle Larson, Marsh McLennan Agency
  • Abby Leonard, Bridges to Independence
  • Christina Marable, Planned Systems International
  • Robbie Mason, Accenture Federal Services
  • Kimberly Melfie, Local News Now, LLC 
  • Adrian Mercado, GDIT
  • Trent Moxley, Dominion Energy 
  • Kate Nadeau, Arlington Free Clinic
  • E. Kobena Osam, Arlington County Government, Department of Parks and Recreation
  • Karolina Pazdrazdis, JBG SMITH
  • Haley Pierce, FMI – the Food Industry Association
  • Cleo Potter, Encore Stage & Studio
  • Jennifer Romero, Texas A&M DC
  • Gregory Scott, Arlington County Sheriff’s Office
  • Alexander Solomon, JBG SMITH
  • Ashley Stewart, Doorways
  • Oscar Weke, Dominion Energy

Both the Lead and Ignite cohorts will meet monthly and celebrate the conclusion of their programs at the Leadership Center of Arlington’s Leadership Summit on Thursday, May 15, 2025.

To learn more about Lead, Ignite, and other leadership development programs, please visit leadercenter.org/leadership-development-programs/.

About the Leadership Center of Arlington

The mission of the Leadership Center of Arlington is to connect, develop, and inspire leaders for personal growth, civic engagement, and community impact. For more information, visit leadercenter.org or call (703) 528-2522.

Media Contact
Jennifer Roeder
Communications Consultant
(703) 528-2522
jroeder@leadercenter.org

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